'The Realm' (2025) is a 1-of-1 artwork and digital artifact inscribed on the Bitcoin blockchain from the project 'The Wild Within,' a series that brings new life to abandoned buildings from a bygone era.
Based on a real-world physical space that artists Ryan Koopmans & Alice Wexell traveled to and photographed, this piece envisions a digital rebirth by combining photography with three-dimensional techniques.
'The Realm' is inscribed on a satoshi mined on March 24, 2021, the same day the first artwork from 'The Wild Within' was minted on Ethereum.
When viewed on the blockchain, the artwork is alive and dynamic. It automatically transitions between day and night modes at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. TRT, synchronized with the Bitcoin clock to reflect the time zone of the abandoned building’s location in Kayaköy, southern Turkey.
The village of Kayaköy, historically known as Levissi, contains a notable Greek Orthodox church, often referred to as High Church (Yukarı Kilise), which stands as a silent witness to the town’s former vibrancy. Built by the Greek Orthodox community that once thrived there, the church features characteristic vaulted ceilings, colorful fresco remnants, and an elevated position overlooking the valley. It was abandoned, along with the rest of Kayaköy, in 1923 when the Greco-Turkish population exchange forced the Greek inhabitants to leave their homes. The structure fell into disuse, continues to decay, and remains a poignant symbol of the cultural and historical heritage left behind.
These architectural remnants provided the perfect environment for the artists to apply their creative touch to 'The Realm'.
Over the past decade, artists Koopmans & Wexell have explored architectural ruins around the world, photographing buildings that have undergone dramatic transitions.
Upon returning, they introduce digitally sculpted vegetation, modify the structure and lighting, and embellish the scenes with the intention of reviving the empty spaces, essentially bringing life back into the rooms. The result is 'The Wild Within,' a project that represents a surreal collision between the past and future, natural and manmade, physical and digital, and the real and imaginary.
'The Realm' aims to depict a surreal representation of the cyclical essence of time, delving into architectural history and its intricate connection with the natural world. The artwork also serves to permanently preserve this imagery on the blockchain.
Many of the buildings depicted in 'The Wild Within' have been demolished in recent years, and this building continues to deteriorate and is being slowly disassembled, further emphasizing the primary theme of the work: the passage of time in a cycle of growth and decay.